Viking-seriessatellites

patch

patch2

This page contains philatelic information on the USA Viking-series satellites. Catalog numbers, years of issue, and notes on the satellites featured are given when available. If readers know of additional information or images, please contact the authors using the e-mail addresses at the bottom of this page.

The two USA Vikings from 1975 should not be confused with the much-later Swedish Viking scientific mission, which was launched in 1986.

1Viking-1 was the first operational spacecraft to make a soft landing on Mars; the earlier Mars-3 landed on the red planet but died soon thereafter and so was considered non-operational.
2A Viking-3 Mars lander/rover was a proposed follow-on mission to Viking-1 and 2.
3The Voyager Mars Program was a concept for Mars exploration, that turned into the Viking Program, and is not associated with the later Voyager Program.
4The "Pioneer Project" was possibly a concept for Mars exploration, that turned into the Viking Program, and is not associated with the (later) Pioneer (planetary) Program.
5This FDC is dated 20 July 1978, which is also exactly the second anniversary of the landing of Viking-1 on Mars. Postal covers were issued as well for other Viking-1 anniversaries.
6See here for a list of engraved/lithographed Russian definitive pairs known to exist with satellite overprints.

1"Late date stamp due to postal unrest" rubber stamp.
2The 20 July 1978 issue date for FDCs of USA 1759 is also exactly the second anniversary of the landing of Viking-1 on Mars.
3The incorrect 1973 year in the hand cancel was hand-corrected to 1974.